Mocha Macarons.
It's a cold Saturday afternoon. I walk down the street to Starbucks and step into line. Patiently waiting, I ponder the drink options in my head. A cappuccino? Hot chocolate? How will I ever decide. Suddenly, the rotating menu reminds me that I do not have to decide. When it's my turn I order a mocha and await the warm, sweet goodness to come.
I love the flavor of mochas so much that I decided that there must be a way to consume them as a solid, too. Enter, a day when I had leftover egg whites. All of the coffee was gone, but I still was not quite awake. This was my opportunity to make the magic happen.
I want to be brief so that you can get right to the recipe, but there are a few critical things to keep an eye out for:
I love the flavor of mochas so much that I decided that there must be a way to consume them as a solid, too. Enter, a day when I had leftover egg whites. All of the coffee was gone, but I still was not quite awake. This was my opportunity to make the magic happen.
I want to be brief so that you can get right to the recipe, but there are a few critical things to keep an eye out for:
- Stiffness of egg whites- it is critical to ensure that you do not over whip them. They should be shiny, smooth, and stick straight up if you pull up the whisk. Use this image as reference.
- Consistency of batter- macaron batter must smooth. It is important to ensure that your batter "ribbons" when picked up. This means that it falls off the spatula and folds over itself. Use this image as reference.
Modeled after that perfect combination of chocolate and coffee, these mocha macarons are a perfect little pick me up for any type of day. Macarons are notorious for being finicky, so do not be discouraged if it takes multiple attempts to turn out. I hope you enjoy these macarons as much as I do!
Ready in 2 hours
Prep 1 hour
Cook 15 minutes
Yield 35 cookies
Ready in 2 hours
Prep 1 hour
Cook 15 minutes
Yield 35 cookies
Ingredients
Cookie
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Preparation
Notes
* You can use any type of dark chocolate that you like. I find that bars of chocolate melt better than chips. My favorite type to use is Ghirardelli.
** I like to use a silicon mat like this one with a template for making equally sized macarons.
*** The baking time will vary based on the size.
Adapted from Mad About Macarons! by Jill Colonna
- Blend ground almonds, powdered sugar, and 3g instant coffee in food processor for a few minutes. Then sift them into a large bowl.
- Place egg whites in the bowl of a stand mixer with a whisk attachment. Alternatively, place them in a large bowl and use a hand mixer. Beat the egg whites on high speed until foamy. Add in sugar a spoonful at a time, whipping well between additions. Add a few drops of food coloring and mix it in.
- Transfer the whipped egg whites to the bowl with the dry ingredients with a rubber spatula. Using the macaronage method, mix everything together. I find that the best way to do this is to make a figure-eight with your spatula and fold then scoop underneath the mixture. Continue to mix for a few minutes until the mixture is soft. To tell if it’s ready, pick up some of the mixture on a spatula and watch how it drips back down into the bowl. When it is a continuous stream that ribbons back and forth, then it is ready. If it is not smooth, continue to macaronage.
- Transfer the mixture to a piping bag with a round tip. Alternatively, you can place it in a large resealable bag and snip off the corner. I find the best way to do this is to set the bag in a cup and pour the mixture in.
- Pipe rounds of batter in desired size (I like mine mini!) onto a baking sheet lined with parchment or a silicon mat**. Set aside for 45 minutes to an hour, which will allow them to form a thin “skin” layer on top. Preheat the oven to 325ºF while they are setting (use convection bake if you have it).
- Meanwhile, prepare the filling. Heat heavy cream and 3g instant coffee in a small saucepan until warm. Chop dark chocolate and place in a glass bowl. Once the cream mixture is hot, pour over chocolate and set aside for 5 minutes. Mix with a rubber spatula until the mixture is smooth. If you have stubborn chunks of chocolate that will not melt, place the bowl in the microwave for 15 seconds and stir again. Set this mixture in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.
- When the macarons have formed “skins” and are dry to the touch, bake them for 10-12 minutes***, or until they are firm. Set aside to cool.
- Once the cookies are cool, make pairs of cookies of equal size. Create rows of pairs, one side facing up and one facing down.
- Remove the filling from the refrigerator, and beat if for a few minutes. Slowly add milk, a about a spoonful at a time, until the filling is smooth. Keep in mind that you may not use all of the milk.
- Transfer filling to piping bag and fill the macarons by applying filling to the halves with the bottom facing up. Sandwich the cookies together.
Notes
* You can use any type of dark chocolate that you like. I find that bars of chocolate melt better than chips. My favorite type to use is Ghirardelli.
** I like to use a silicon mat like this one with a template for making equally sized macarons.
*** The baking time will vary based on the size.
Adapted from Mad About Macarons! by Jill Colonna